Electrostatic precipitator



Dec. 8, 1953 G. w. HEWITT ETAL ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 Filed NOV. 22, 1950 s 7 Mum? m u I a e we Q 3 mwamw 7 3 0V. M .J .U /5 4 w rgl A .U. ZNW NE M x E I; y w ad a I w a M q @wa%, %a F 4 I. 1 Al: 7 9p wwfiwu 7 u m w l M m 0 M M h I a g Dec. 8, 1953 w. HEWlTT ETAL 2,661,809

ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR Filed Nov. 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fA/z/sA/roes 650/265 M. Hsw/rr 4w Jomv diam/0s I L i air velocity between the oppositely charged ionizer electrodes of an electrostatic precipitator using the same voltage for the ionizer and collector electrodes, for providing increased charging time.

Another object of the invention is to increase the ionization efficiency of an electrostatic precipitator using the same voltage for the ionizer and collector electrodes.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the ionizer electrode assembly of an electrostatic precipitator using the same voltage on the ionizer and collector electrodes.

Another object of the invention is to increase the collection eficiency of an electrostatic precipitator using the same voltage for the ionizer and collector electrodes.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electrostatic precipitator embodying this invention, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the lines IIII of Fig. l.

The precipitator illustrated has the end walls and ii having the channels 22 and i3 at their upstream ends, and in which the perforated baffle plate It is slidably positioned, and which forms the air inlet of the precipitator.

The four metal tie rods I6 are attached at their ends to the end plates in and II, and ha ve the metal spacers ll thereon which contact and space apart, the grounded collector plates Hi, the outer spacers spacing the outer collector plates 18 from the end plates It and I1 i, the latter also serving as grounded collector electrodes where they extend parallel the plates H3.

The insulators 28 are attached at their outer ends to the end plates it and ii, above the upstream ends of the plates I8, and have the metal rod 2| attached to and extending between, their inner ends. The rod 2i extends through the upper portions of the central, metal support 23 and the end, metal supports 24, through the lower portions of which, extends the metal tie rod 25, the supports 23 and 24 being attached to the rods 2! and 25.

The insulators 25 areattached at their outer ends to the downstream ends of the end plates l0 and H, and have the metal rod 21 connected to and extending between their inner ends. The rod 27 extends through the lower end of the central metal plate support 28 to which it is attached. The metal tie rod 30 extends through the upper end of the support 28.

The tie rods 25 and 30 have the metal spacers 3i thereon which contact and space apart the high potential collector plates 32.

The ionizer wire supports 33 are attached to the upper ends of the supports 23 and 24, and have portions between their ends extending parallel the upstream edges of the collector plates, and have end portions (it turned perpendicular thereto. The end portions 36 have the upstream ionizer wire spring supports 35 and the downstream ionizer wire supports 36 extending to one side therefrom, towards the end plate It, and have the upstream ionizer wire spring supports 31 and the downstream ionizer wire spring supports 38 extending to the other side thereof towards the end plate II. The upstream ionizer wires 40 and ii are attached at their ends to the upstream ends of the supports 35 and 3'! respectively, and the downstream ionizer wires 52 and 43 are attached at their ends to the upstream ends of the supports 35 and 38, respectively.

The metal, outer, semi-cylindrical baffles 45 are attached along their outer edges to the end plates H3 and H, and along their inner edges to the ionizer electrodes at which are flat metal plates extending parallel the end plates, and which have the cut-outs d? at their ends adjacent the end portions 34 of the ionizer supports 33.

The metal, inner semi-cylindrical baiiles 59 are attached along one of their sides to the ionizer electrode plates it and along the opposite sides to the extensions 51 of every fourth grounded collector plate 18.

l'he electrode plates id are aligned with the centers of the end portions 3 of the ionizer wire supports 33. The ionizer wires ii! and M are on the axes of the semi-cylindrical baffles, and the wires 42 and at are parallel to such axes. Each pair of ionizer wires thus extends midway between a grounded end plate H3 or H, and a grounded electrode plate :35, or between a grounded plate extension El and a grounded electrode plate The grounded plate portions on opposite sides of the centrally located ionizer wires act as non-discharging ionizer electrodes while the wires act as discharging electrodes.

The cut-outs E2 in the grounded plate extensions 51! provide clearance openings around the rods 2i and 25.

The cut-outs "E3 in the grounded plates 18, provide clearance openings for the tie rods 33, the spacers 31 on the tie rods 33}, and the upper portion of the support 28.

The bailies ii: and 5% prevent the air to be ionized from passing directly over the low-gradient ionizer wire portions near the spring supports 35, 35, 3'! and 38, and direct it over the high-gradient portions of the wires, thus increasing the effectiveness of the electrostatic charging of the dust particles. These bafiles also provide additional rounded ionizer electrode surface near the wire ends, thus increasing the ionization current, these two effects preventing air from passing through the ionizer chamber without passing through high ionizer current regions.

The conventional, direct current power supply 55 employs a half-wave rectifier tube 55 energized by the step-up transformer 5?, the cathode of the tube supplying for example, +10,0G0 volts to the insulatedly supported collector plates 32 and to the ionizer wires which are electrically connected thereto through the supports 28 and 32, the supports 23 and iii, the rod 24 and the support 33, the negative terminal of the power supply being grounded and connected to the end plates 10 and H, and to the grounded collector plates H3.

Since the voltage at the ionizer wires is less than that usually employed, they have to be spaced closer to the non-discharging ionizer electrodes for providing adequate ionization current. In prior precipitators using the same voltage at the ionizer and the collector plate electrodes, the non-discharging ionizer electrodes were curved opposite the ionizer Wires and bulged towards same. Crowding such electrodes more closely together for providing the desired ionization current, would result in constricted space and in a resulting increased velocity between the ionizer electrodes. This would result in a substantially reduction in the electrostatic charging of the dust particles due to their decreased time of ex posure in the ionization field.

The fiat, non-discharging electrodes of this invention do not produce any increase in air velocity between" the; ionizer electrodes;.thez spacing. and: other dimensions. being: selected. to: provide; essentially the: same velocity betweem the; ionizer: electrodes; andbetween: the; collector plates..

The outer edges of the; high potentialv plates; due: to the high potential thereon; .mustberspaced a. substantial distance. from the. open .sides- I0. and. lit where:v grounded surfaces; maybe positioned, for: avoiding spark-over, and: in. prior: precipita;-- tors having the. same; voltage: on: the: ionizer: and;

collector electrodes poorly cleanedj air passedz through such low-gradient; spaces. This: invent.. tionavoids this" disadvantage by providing the; plate baiiles t5} andBl atlthe upstreamlandidowne stream. edges of. the. grounded collector plates;, which are attached at theirsendstb thaend 111212853 iii and" H, and. which extend inwardly from the open sides. l and 1.1. respectively, of the collector, over such spaces and direct the air into the highgradient areas betweerr the grounded and" the high potential collector plates.

The precipitator may be inserted into a duct. [5, a portion of which is shownby Fig. 2 ofthe drawing, with opposite sides. of the duct closing the open sides ill and H of the precipitator. The fan i5 connected to the. duct draws air to be cleaned through the precipitator.

For a power supply using half-wave rectification operating on 60 cycles per second line frequency, and with the fan providing 340 feet per minute air velocity, for example, through the ionizer chamber, the trough to peak spacing of the ripple voltage would be calculated as follows:

840 feet per minute 12:4080' inches per minute l l80+60=68 inches per second 68-420 (one-half 60 cycle frequency) =.566 inch This spacing between the upstream and the downstream ionizer wires is too close for avoiding interference between the wires, so this invention spaces the upstream wires substantially three times the trough to peak spacing or another odd multiple thereof, whereby the air passing the upstream wire at the trough in the ripple voltage, will still pass the downstream wire at a voltage peak, yet the wires are far enough apart so that interaction is avoided.

As illustrated by the drawing, the upstream and downstream wires are each supported by a separate tensioning spring, whereby the tension in each wire is independent of that in the other. In prior precipitators using upstream and downstream wires, both wires were supported at corresponding ends from a single tensioning spring, resulting in unequal tension in the wires and in undesired vibration in the one most slack.

By slidably supporting the perforated bafile plate M in the channels I2 and I3 at the upstream ends of the end plates I0 and I I, it may easily be removed for providing access to the ionizer electrodes as for servicing or cleaning them.

In operation, the fan 15 draws air or another gas to be cleaned, through the inlet I4, the air being ionized during its passage between the ionizer wires and the flat plates forming the non-discharging ionizer electrodes. The air passing the upstream wires 49 and 4| during a trough of the ripple voltage from the power supply 55, will pass the downstream wires 42 and 43 during a peak of the ripple voltage, so that satisfactory ionization will be provided despite the lack of filter capacity other than that provided by the collector plates.

The dust particles which are electrostatically charged through the ionization process then pass been. described forthe. purpose; of illustration;.

should. be understood: that. the? invention is not; limited ito, the, exact. apparatus. and; arrangement; of. apparatus illustrated, since: modificationsi thereof; may. be; suggested. by those: skilled: in. the;

art; without; departure from the: essence: of; the

inventiom. What waclaim as: our: invention, is: 1.2. electrostatic. precipitator: having anzion=-= izer zone and. a. collector zone, comprising end.

plates common. to: both of: said. zones, collector:

plates; im said: collector. zone, between and sup-- ported from said end plates and electricall y 'con nectedsthereto, oneof said collector-plates having a. portion extending into: said ionizer: zone, anii'om izer plate supported in said ionizer zone mid-- waybetween oneof'sa'id end platesand said plate portion, and having an inner end terminating short of said collector zone, an ionizer wire sup'= port in alignment'with. said ionizer plate between said inner end and said collector zone, resilient ionizer wire supporting arms supported irom the ends of said support and extending therefrom midway between said one end plate and said ionizer plate, resilient ionizer wire supporting arms supported from said ends of said support and extending therefrom midway between said ionizer plate and said plate portion, and ionizer wires supported from said arms.

2. An electrostatic precipitator having an ionizer zone and a collector zone, comprising end plates common to both of said zones, collector plates in said collector zone between and supported from said end plates and electrically connected thereto, one of said collector plates having a por-s tion extending into said ionizer zone, an ionizer plate supported in said ionizer zone midway between one of said end plates and said plate portion, and having an inner end terminating short of said collector zone, an ionizer wire support in alignment with said ionizer plate between said inner end and said collector zone, an upstream ionizer wire and a downstream ionizer Wire midway between said one end plate and said ionizer plate, an upstream ionizer wire and a downstream ionizer wire midway between said ionizer plate and said plate portion, and means including separate spring tensioning means for supporting each of said wires from the ends of said support. 3. An electrostatic precipitator having an ionizer zone and a collector zone, comprising collector plates in said collector zone, a pair of said plates having portions extending into said ionizer zone, an ionizer plate in said ionizer zone supported midway between said plate portions and electrically connected thereto and having an inner end terminating short of said collector zone, an ionizer wire support in alignment with said ionizer plate between said inner end and said collector zone, resilient ionizer wire supporting arms supported from the ends of said support and extending therefrom midway between said ionizer plate and one of said plate portions, resilient ionizer wire supporting arms supported from the pair of said plates having portions extending into said ionizer chamber, an ionizer plate supported in said ionizer chamber midway between said plate portions and electrically connected thereto and having an inner end terminating short of said collector chamber, an ionizer wire support in alignment with said ionizer plate between said inner end and said collector chamber, an upstream ionizer wire and a downstream ionizer wire midway between said ionizer plate and one of said plate portions, an upstream ionizer Wire and a downstream ionizer wire midway between said ionizer plate and the others of said plate portions, and means including separate springtensioning means for independently supporting each of said wires. from the ends of said support.

5. An electrostatic precipitator as claimed in claim 1 in which the ionizer plate has cut-out portions adjacent said support ends.

6. An electrostatic precipitator as claimed in claim 2 in which the ionizer plate has cut-out portions adjacent said support ends.

7. An electrostatic precipitator having an ionizer zone and a collector zone, means for passing air at a constant velocity through said ionizer zone, two sets of alternately arranged plates in said collector zone, non-discharging ionizer electrodes in said ionizer zone, upstream and downstream ionizer wires between said electrodes, and means for applying ripple voltage to said ionizer wires and electrodes and to said plates, said last mentioned means comprising a half-wave recti fier having a cathode connected to the plates of one of said sets, and an anode connected to the plates of the other or" said sets, said wires being connected to the plates of one of said sets, and said electrodes being connected to the plates of the other of said sets, said wires being spaced apart a distance in the direction of air fiow which is an odd multiple of the distance air at said velocity will travel during a trough to peak period of said ripple voltage.

GEORGE W. HEWITT.

JOHN S. LAGARIAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES l-ATENTS Number Name Date 1,343,285 Schmidt June 15, 1920 2,255,62'7 Penney Sept. 9, 1941 2,382,254 Penney et a1. Aug. 14-, 1945 2,542,035 Kleinperer 20, 1951 

